The Canary's Song
by ManuscriptMaiden21
Summary: Teresa Callaghan grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Her mother works in an old textile mill, and her father is a coal miner. She has 5 siblings with mouths to feed, and there's never enough to go around. Draco Malfoy was quite the opposite. What happens when their worlds collide?
1. Chapter 1

Hello, all! This, obviously, is my newest story. Feedback of all kinds, except for flaming, is always appreciated by all readers. For those of you who read an older story of mine, "Daddy's Girl", the next update will be within the next 5 days. Also, this is my first Draco fanfiction, so if you have any tips, let me know. Thank you!

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Teresa stared out the grubby window of the carriage as it bumped and rolled across the long gravel road, raindrops cutting through streaks of grime. It was a muddy

August day, and the rain was warm and misty as thunderclouds clapped over the countryside. She sighed as she thumbed the tattered clipping of _the Daily Prophet_.

She had memorized the words countless times in her mind: "_Wanted: Scullery maid. No experience necessary, pay negotiated up front. Contact Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy if _

_interested :__via owl post." _It wasn't a very desirable job, but it would be a way to make a pinch of money before her term at Hogwarts started. "_My folks could stand to have a_

_bit of money." _Suddenly, the carriage came to a skidding halt. "Alrigh', Terry, time to get out! Yer lucky me old man lets me borrow this old stamper!" A boy swung open the

carriage door with a toothy smile, his grubby fingers, sticking out of a pair of worn, fingerless gloves, clutching a horse whip. He was clad in the sooty suit and tie of a proper

chimney sweep, a lop-sided jaunty cap atop his head, once-brown hair sticking out and about untidily. Teresa nodded and hopped out of the carriage, her boots sloshing mud

onto the wet gravel. "Thank you, Tommy. I'll make sure to pay you back after I make a bit of money." Tommy tipped his hat to his friend and gave a mock bow. "Don't

mention it, my lady! May I 'scort ya to the door?" She smiled and mock-curtsied. "Why, I'd be delighted, Mr. Knocker." With a laugh and a wink, Tommy tied up his horse in a

dilapidated old stable on the side of the road and offered an arm to Teresa. Together, they made their way towards the stately manor, its towers looming ominously above

them. Tommy shuddered as he gazed high above them, where a gargoyle perched, spreading its stone wings. "Now why in Goodness's name would you wanna work in a ol'

creepy 'ouse like this?" Teresa rolled her eyes and sighed. "You know perfectly well why. Father can't work, and Mother is working her fingers to the bone at the mill. We

need the money, Tom. My family has mouths to feed, and you of all people should understand that!" He shook his head and shrugged. "Fair 'nough, Terry, fair 'nough!" The

pair finally made their way past the wrought-iron gates and to the front door, marveling at the finery of the garden as they went. Teresa raised a tentative hand to the door,

giving a quiet knock. At least 10 minutes passed before an imposing man in rich velvet robes and a snake-headed cane answered the door. He had a pale, pointed face with

sneering lips and cool, shrewd grey eyes, long blonde hair sweeping across his shoulders as he turned towards the two teenagers. He cocked an eyebrow at them and said

coolly, "Who, pray tell, is trespassing upon my property?" The cool grey met watery green as he stared down at Teresa. "Well?" She stepped towards him and pulled the ad

out of her apron pocket. "I'm here to answer the ad you put out. You are Mr. Malfoy, I presume?" She curtsied, as her mother had instructed her to do, and lowered her head

to Lucius, who's face relaxed ever-so-slightly. "Ah, I see. And the boy?" Tommy removed his cap and gave a slight bow. "I'm just the cabman, sir. I'll be taking my leave, if

ya don't mind. My 'orse can't stay in the rain fer long! See ya 'round, Terry!" With that, he took off down the driveway and sought after his carriage. Lucius opened the door

and gestured towards her. "Well, it does no good to have an interview outside in the rain. Come inside, child." Teresa nodded and stepped into the doorway, taking care

not to track mud into such a grand home. He led her down a well-lit corridor with pale-faced portraits lining the walls, faces illuminated in the torch-light. Sumptuous

tapestries and busts on pedestals made her eyes grow wide as Lucius came to a stop in the drawing room, ushering her inside. Upon entering, one could observe a

handsome marble mantelpiece, which above it hung a gilded mirror. Lucius took his place in a leather armchair, his hounds at his feet. With a wave of his wand, a

modest, straight-backed wooden chair appeared across from him. "Take a seat, and we can begin" he drawled, pouring himself a glass of amber mead. Teresa settled herself

on the chair and folded her hands in her lap, observing him patiently. Lucius took a long, hard look at her, scrutinizing her features. Teresa was a rather plain girl, with

mousy brown hair that had been flattened and re-flattened at the part and curious, watery green eyes. She wore a patched pinafore that hung rather awkwardly around

her collar bones, and her skirts reached a pair of knobby knees. Her entire appearance was rather slovenly and proletarian, which made Lucius wrinkle his nose at the scent

of coal dust emitting from her clothes. He set his glass on a side table and steepled his fingers, leaning back in his chair. "What is your blood heritage?" She cleared her

throat. "Half-blood, sir."

"Where are you from?"

"Little Peatshire. 48 kilometers (30 miles) from Liverpool."

"Why do you want this job?"

Teresa shifted in her chair and quickly became interested in looking at Mr. Malfoy's shoes. "Well, sir, my mother works in a factory, and my father is unable to work. My

siblings are too young to go to school, and my family needs the money." She looked up to see him contemplating her, an eyebrow raised, elbows resting upon his knees.

He leaned back and crossed his legs with the manner of a king on his throne. "Lastly, how much do you want as pay?" She stared back at him, pleading in her eyes.

"Anything. I'll work for anything." Lucius smirked and extended a hand. "You're hired."


	2. Chapter 2 A Muddy Introduction

I hope you all enjoy the next chapter.

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"Now, pay close attention to my instructions, child. I want you to scrub all of the floors, _including_ under the rug in the hall, polish the china cabinet, and buffer Lucius's

leather boots. He is attending a sporting event with the Minister, so I want to be able to see my reflection in them! _Understood?" _Teresa nodded and curtsied. "Of course,

Mistress. I'll do my best." Narcissa turned away from the girl, her painted lips curling into a sneer. "You had better if you want to earn your pay." Teresa looked upon Narcissa

Malfoy with a certain loathing, mingled with fear and distaste. The woman was dressed in rather frivolous attire, and her ghastly rouge makeup only made her already pale

face gleam like a ghost in contrast to heavily painted lips and cheekbones. Teresa shrugged. "_At least they're paying me." _It was a modest pay of 7 Sickles and 3 Knuts, but

she was also allotted a diminutive bedroom near the kitchen with a snug cot, which was rather comfortable if you could lie at the right angle. She dragged a bucket full of a

warm, soapy water and began to clean the marble floors with a tatty old scrub brush, humming a tune she had forgotten the words to.

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It had been about an hour and a half since she had started, and the main hall was finally clean. She wiped the sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand and smiled

in satisfaction at her work. Suddenly, a rumbling noise came from outside, raucous laughter filling the air as the doors burst open. Two lumbering boys, sloshed with mud

came tumbling in, chasing one another as a smug-looking blonde sauntered in, shoes tracking in dirt. The boy looked up at Teresa, smirked, and called out to his

companions. "Crabbe! Goyle! See to it not to track mud into my room. I'll meet you in the parlor. Don't break anything!" They both nodded with oafish expressions of

understanding and charged down the hallway towards the parlor, leaving him and Teresa alone. He perched himself on the staircase, removed his shoes, and tossed them to

her. "You, girl! You're the new servant, correct? Polish these and deliver them to my room. Make it snappy!" One of the shoes hit her apron, leaving a streak of mud across

the white linen, another hitting the bucket and knocking the soapy water onto the floor. Teresa clenched her fists and snapped, "What the bloody hell? I spent an hour

cleaning that!" Draco simpered as he leaned on the banister. "I suppose you should get back to work then. Oh, and allow me to introduce myself. The name is Draco Malfoy."

He extended a hand in mock-courtesy. "And you are?" She folded her arms and wrinkled her nose in distaste. "My name is Teresa Callaghan. I would say it was a pleasure

to make you acquaintance, but my mother always told me not to lie." She grabbed the bucket indignantly and turned from him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some _extra_

cleaning to do. Good day, Draco!" He glowered at her and drew up to his full height. "That's Mr. Malfoy to you, you dirty Mudblood!" Teresa raised an eyebrow and looked

him up and down. "Really? I'm the dirty one? I'm not the one who sloshed mud onto the carpet, now am I? It really is a pity. You'd think with all of this money that your

parents could afford to get you some manners." She shrugged. "Very well then. Good day, Mr. Malfoy." His eyes widened as she turned away without another word,

head held high.

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"And if I hear that you have been rude to my son _ever_ again, Ms. Callaghan, you're fired!" Teresa hung her head before a furious Lucius Malfoy and replied, "Yes, sir. It won't

happen again." Lucius stalked out of the room, voluminous emerald robes billowing behind him. She heard snickering from a corner of the room as 3 figures appeared,

Draco stepping into the light first. Upon his pale lips played a sneer as he walked around Teresa, arms folded. "Well, well, well, it seems that you thought you could get away

with that little incident, didn't you? I think not. You shouldn't cross me, girly." He drew closer to her, inches away from her face, a smug smirk deep within his features.

"One more incident, and I can have you fired like this." He snapped his fingers and stepped back from her. "It's entirely your choice if you decide to behave."


End file.
